Archetypes
The skills system opens up a lot of possibilities, so you can design the Heroes that you want to play. There are, however, some proven Archetypes that are better built and developped in a certain way. There are dozens Archetypes, here's a few (and feel free to add you own) : Hidden Thrower # First focus on attacks to rake up the kills: Thrown Weapons Mastery, BS Increase (up to BS 45+), Knife Fighter and Strength Increase (up to Str 35+, so your stars can hit with Str 30+). Learn the Alpha Strike, and point-blank shooting (right next to target = very high hit chances and damage). # Then train to fight from the shadows: Initiative Increase (up to 40+), Hidden in the Shadows, Quick Reactions, Ambush, Initiative Increase (up to 50+) and Sprint (for mobility). # Finally: Armour Training, Wounds Increase, Resilient and Lightning Reflexes to get Dodge. Marienburg Marksmen with Throwing Daggers can take that Archetype. But Skaven are already skilled in Thrown Weapons, have access to Throwing Stars and Perfect Killer, and higher Initiative and Move (both help to hide, either by delaying your action or moving from cover to cover). You may want Quick Shot at some point (maybe after Ambush?), but that's overkill for that Archetype, IMHO. Sniper # First focus on hitting your target with a Bow or Elven Bow : Bow Mastery, Eagle Eyes, BS Increase (up to BS 50+). # Then increase the effectiveness of your Alpha Strike : Initiative Increase (up to 40+), Quick Reactions, Ambush and Quick Shot. # Finally, get Perception and a Lantern to reveal hidden targets, and accumulate levels (3) and gold crowns (500+) to get, all at once, an Hoshland Long Rifle & Sight and the Blackpowder Mastery, Nimble and Hunter skills. # That rifle is very expensive and doesn't show up often in the Store, so you may want to invest extra levels in Streetwise and Haggle. Other than that, really focus on Ballistic Skill (the higher it is, the higher damage will be ; see Combat for details). I prefer Bows over Crossbows and Blackpowders for that build (for the first 12 levels or so), because they are cheaper and it is more important to shoot often (move and fire with a bow) and hit targets in cover (Mastery unlocks this advantage with Bow and Elven Bow), than +10 Str with a bad aim (vs cover) and low rate of fire (because you just can't move and then fire). From my experience, a Bow or Elven Bow are as good hitting targets in cover with the proper Mastery skill, with or without the Trick Shooter skill. Maybe this is a bug, but this is why I never spend two levels on that skill (dependent on Crossbow Training). Use these levels and one more for Blackpowders (and that Hoshland Long Rifle & Sight). Reiklanders have amazing Marksmen, but they can't learn the Ambush and Perception skills. Marienburg thus make the best Snipers in Mordheim. They will lack heavy armour, but their range should make up for it (and Dodge vs ranged attacks), as well as access to more rare weapons and at a lower price. Zealots can train to become Snipers too, but can't use Bows. A Handgun will have to do the job until you can get Nimble and Hunter. Leveling up with Witch Hunters will be a tedious and painful task in the early levels. Undead, Skaven and Middenheimers can't train proper Snipers. Recon # First, equip your Recon with Lantern to reveal hidden units, an Ithilmar Sword to do so before your companions get to act (Initiative +10) and to defend while doing so (Parry +25), and a Pistol or Crossbow Pistol to attack right away the revealed ennemies. # Take Blackpowder Training and Mastery, Advanced Weapons Training and Mastery, and then Initiative Increase (up to 40+), Perception and Sprint so the Recon can do the first part of its job well (get first to the front, do so fast, and reveal hidden units). # Your Recon will survive in its hard task with a combination of defensive and offensive skills (remove threats before they attack). In this order, take: Armour Training, BS Increase (up to 45+), Quick Shot, Wounds Increase 1 (and the needed Strength Increase 1), Resilient, Weapon Skill (up to 50+), Step Aside and Lightning Reflexes (and the needed Quick Reactions). Mercenary Captains make the best Recon units in Mordheim. They have access to all the required Speed and Strength Skills, and even to Arcane Lore and Flight of Zimmerman. Skaven Assassins don't have that spell, but they're naturally fast, can take the Infiltration skill, can cast Sorcerer's Curse for good team work, and their Warplock Pistols are deadly. Many other units make good Recons (Vampires, Witch Hunter Captain), but some will not have access to all the needed skills (like Pit Fighters and most Henchmen). Still, most Warbands will want at least two units in that role, and will do with an expert and an okay Recon. Tank # Damage Dealer # Swashbuckler # (please contribute to this page)